Kathmandu's XT gear is the high-end stuff, tested in the field by some top outdoors people. The range now includes down jackets, rainwear, tents, packs, sleeping bags and mountaineering boots.
This year the company has released its first branded boot, the XT Fitzgerald ngx, which it says has taken 1000 days to develop.
It's designed here in New Zealand but made in Italy and is described as a 'three season' mountaineering boot.
It's leather with a Vibram sole, a full rubber rand (that's the toe cap) and offers protection against rock abrasion and wear. It's crampon compatible and has a carbon-fibre midsole that offers a light, stable platform with an even flex. Tested by this non-expert user on the slopes of Ruapehu, it was stable and helped me stay upright while scrambling across rocks in gale-force winds.
